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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26981026">Rewrite the Stars</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AerisLei/pseuds/AerisLei'>AerisLei</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>RWBY</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Stargazing, slow dance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 22:10:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,611</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26981026</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AerisLei/pseuds/AerisLei</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Qrow and Summer are returning from one of many missions, and matters of the heart finally come to the surface. Huntsman aren’t promised forever, after all - but no one is, are they? Written for the Shipwrecked fanzine.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Qrow Branwen/Summer Rose</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Rewrite the Stars</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I’m not sure we can go on like this.” <span class="pwa-mark decorator">Qrow</span> said in a quiet voice, one hand was holding Summer’s. They were alone, camping under the stars. <span class="pwa-mark decorator">Currently in</span> the middle of a return trip from a mission that had just been the two of them.</p><p>“Sure we can.” Silver eyes reflected the light of the moon, and amber glow of the firelight as they met his steadily. “This is fine. <span class="pwa-mark decorator">Us,</span> <span class="pwa-mark decorator">Ozpin</span>’s missions. Doing our best for Remnant and being the best huntsman we can be. That’s as complicated as it needs to be.”</p><p>Summer made it sound so easy. Sometimes <span class="pwa-mark decorator">Qrow</span> wished he could have the same easy faith. His semblance didn’t really give him the luxury.</p><p>Summer shifted closer to <span class="pwa-mark decorator">Qrow</span>, leaning her head against his shoulder. His arm slid around her waist reflexively and she only snuggled closer, enjoying the peaceful moment of contact. “I just… feel like something is going to go wrong, if we stay on this course.”</p><p>“We’re huntsman.” Summer said it <span class="pwa-mark decorator">simply, </span>calmly. “Something is always waiting on the horizon, prepared to go wrong. There’s no sense in worrying about it.”</p><p>“Summer…”</p><p>He heard her sigh and felt her shift, pulling away from him at first, but only enough to shift to look him in the eyes again, hands taking one of his and folding around them as she gazed at him intensely.</p><p>“I know you’re worried. I know you’re always afraid of what might happen because of your Semblance. I know.”</p><p>“Then you know-”</p><p>“But, <span class="pwa-mark decorator">Qrow</span>, you can’t let that fear control you. You can’t let it dictate the way you <em>live</em>.”</p><p><span class="pwa-mark decorator">Qrow</span> knew she was right, but <span class="pwa-mark decorator">on the other hand, </span>if he <em>didn’t</em> things happened and they slid quickly out of his control and his semblance was <span class="pwa-mark decorator"><em>dangerous</em></span> left unchecked.</p><p>There was a silence between them that settled again, and Summer had shifted back to curl up against his side. He thought she was going to fall asleep there, <span class="pwa-mark decorator">honestly - and</span> <span class="pwa-mark decorator">it would have been justified</span>. It’d been a long day, and he didn’t mind watching while she rested, though they were both light sleepers.</p><p>Just when he’d thought she <em>had</em> drifted off though, she sat upright, and he saw a mischievously look on her face in the firelight.</p><p>“Dance with me.” It wasn’t a question so much as a demand. “You’re doing that thing again, where you’re trapping yourself in your own mind. If you aren’t <span class="pwa-mark decorator">careful</span> you’re going to start another downward spiral.” She had risen to her feet and was holding a hand out to him<span class="pwa-mark decorator">, clearly</span> not intending to take no for an answer.</p><p><span class="pwa-mark decorator">Qrow</span> couldn’t help but laugh quietly. He rolled his eyes, but took the proffered hand as he stood up. “Honestly, Summer?”</p><p>“Well, it’s this or…” She glanced towards the shelter where their sleeping bags <span class="pwa-mark decorator">were set</span>.</p><p>“You’re terrible.” He murmured, brushing a kiss against her temple despite the words.</p><p>“Yeah, I didn’t think you’d go for it until we got home.”</p><p>Summer led him a little ways away from the fire, where they’d have enough room to move without there being any risk of something <em>happening</em>. <span class="pwa-mark decorator">Qrow</span> could appreciate the care she took in such things. She was, perhaps, just as careful as he was, in her own way. That was probably why only the smallest of things went wrong when it was just him and Summer.</p><p>Or maybe it was the way she made him feel like he mattered. It was dangerous to keep her close, to let her stay with him like this. But she looked at him like he hung the stars, and <span class="pwa-mark decorator">Qrow</span> couldn’t help but want to be a better person - the <span class="pwa-mark decorator">kind of </span>person <span class="pwa-mark decorator">that</span> <em>deserved</em> the way she looked at him.</p><p>There was no music, but ever since Tai’s wedding to Raven, she’d shown him more than once that she didn’t <em>need</em> music when she <span class="pwa-mark decorator">decided to dance</span>.</p><p><span class="pwa-mark decorator">Qrow</span> still wasn’t much of a dancer, but Summer never seemed to mind guiding him through the steps to the rhythm in her head. No, to Summer it seemed to just be an excuse to be close together, and the details of it were less important than the effect.</p><p>Summer was right<span class="pwa-mark decorator">, of course,</span> it was hard to brood and be hard on himself with her warmth between his arms and her eyes meeting his, a look of absolute contentment on her face.</p><p>The steps were <span class="pwa-mark decorator">light and easy</span>, slow circles in the grass. She guided him just as easily as she had the first time. With some hesitance <span class="pwa-mark decorator">Qrow</span> dipped her backwards, and Summer allowed herself to <span class="pwa-mark decorator">be draped</span> over his arm, a smile pulling at her lips as she <span class="pwa-mark decorator">was righted</span> and then smoothly twirled.</p><p>Eventually they stilled, and Summer shifted to rest against his chest, <span class="pwa-mark decorator">Qrow</span> wrapped his arms around her, allowing himself to just <em>enjoy</em> holding her close for the moment.</p><p>“Do… you remember when you asked <span class="pwa-mark decorator">me,</span> if I ever thought of settling down?” <span class="pwa-mark decorator">Qrow</span> asked, his voice barely a whisper into her hair.</p><p>“I do.” How could she forget? They’d had that talk at the wedding. He’d said that he never <span class="pwa-mark decorator">did think</span> about it. They’d pretended it was the truth, pretended they were both too married to the life of a huntsman for anything else.</p><p>“I lied.”</p><p>“I know.”</p><p><em>That</em> surprised him, but in hindsight <span class="pwa-mark decorator">Qrow</span> thought it shouldn’t. <span class="pwa-mark decorator">Of course she</span> knew<span class="pwa-mark decorator">, she</span> knew more about where he and Rae had come from than Taiyang ever would, unless Raven suddenly <span class="pwa-mark decorator">decided to do</span> a lot of opening up. It wasn’t hard to imagine that stability was something he would crave. She knew him too well to have believed the lie. Yet she’d let him tell it.</p><p>“But I figured if you <span class="pwa-mark decorator">were saying</span> that then there was nothing in the world I could say that would change your mind. I’d… rather have what we <em>have</em> than risk asking more than you can give, <span class="pwa-mark decorator">Qrow</span>. I don’t want to lose you.”</p><p>She said it so <span class="pwa-mark decorator">simply, </span>so <span class="pwa-mark decorator">matter of factly</span> that <span class="pwa-mark decorator">Qrow</span> couldn’t imagine there was anything hidden in the words. Summer was so… <em>bluntly</em> honest, sometimes.</p><p><em>I don’t want to lose you</em> sounded an awful lot like it had <em>I love you </em>behind it, and <span class="pwa-mark decorator">Qrow</span> didn’t miss it, but he wasn’t sure what to say, exactly.</p><p>“We could, you know.” Summer said it quietly. “Get married, have a little place of our own to come home to, when we weren’t on a mission. Nothing would have to change.”</p><p>“You deserve-”</p><p>“I chose this life. And I <em>choose</em> you.” She cut him off, unwilling to hear his disparaging remark about how she <em>deserved</em> better than that, better than him. “I’ve known since our last year at Beacon, <span class="pwa-mark decorator">Qrow</span>. I haven’t changed my mind.” And she was confident in her belief that she never would.</p><p><span class="pwa-mark decorator">Qrow</span> remembered that, remembered the day during the <span class="pwa-mark decorator">Vytal</span> Festival that year when she’d grabbed him after their pairs match, and she’d kissed him. Not, thankfully, in the Arena. Even their team hadn’t known until after they returned to Beacon. Not because they were <em>hiding</em> it, but because it hadn’t come up.</p><p>It’d felt so natural then. <span class="pwa-mark decorator">Qrow</span> knew in his heart, he’d chosen too - but his semblance. Summer had never accepted his semblance as an explanation for why anything was a bad idea. Had always maintained the firm stance <span class="pwa-mark decorator">that </span>he was more than his semblance and that it wasn’t a <em>reason</em> to decide not to do something. But <span class="pwa-mark decorator">Qrow</span> knew better than anyone how dangerous it could be to be near to him.</p><p>But Summer had stayed close to him through four years at Beacon and a lot of the year and a half since graduation, too.</p><p>It was silly to assume she’d change her mind, that he would become too much <em>now</em>, <span class="pwa-mark decorator">Qrow</span> knew that. He still thought she deserved better, someone she didn’t have to be <em>careful</em> around constantly.</p><p>But Summer seemed insistent on rewriting the fate that he’d settled on for himself. On rewriting the loneliness <span class="pwa-mark decorator">he’d been cursed</span> with by his semblance.</p><p>Most of the time, <span class="pwa-mark decorator">Qrow</span> had to admit he didn’t mind.</p><p>The silence stretched between them, Summer tucked against his chest as they stood there just a little away from the fire.</p><p><span class="pwa-mark decorator">Qrow</span> sighed quietly, and he felt Summer shift to look up at him. Instinctively he looked down, meeting her gaze. She stretched upward, and he leaned down just enough that their lips met.</p><p>“Come on.” She whispered when they finally broke apart, pulling on his wrist again. “We have an early start tomorrow.”</p><p><span class="pwa-mark decorator">Qrow</span> murmured an agreement and slipped his hand out of hers as he followed towards their shelter. “I’ll take first watch, Sum.”</p><p>“Only if you promise to wake me in <span class="pwa-mark decorator">a couple of</span> hours so you can sleep too.”</p><p>He paused just long enough to kiss her temple. “I promise.”</p><p><span class="pwa-mark decorator">Qrow</span> settled back down by the fire as she disappeared into her sleeping bag for a bit of rest. He hadn’t answered her. He hadn’t told her yes. But Summer never <span class="pwa-mark decorator">did push</span> for an answer from him. She always accepted whatever it was he <span class="pwa-mark decorator">was willing to</span> give her.</p><p>Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad, settling down with Summer. <span class="pwa-mark decorator">Qrow</span> still couldn’t shake the feeling that something was going to go <span class="pwa-mark decorator"><em>terribly</em> </span>wrong - but Summer <em>was</em> right about the fact that in their line of work, something always was <em>likely</em> to go wrong. It was the lives <span class="pwa-mark decorator">the</span> led<span class="pwa-mark decorator">, after all</span>.</p><p>Maybe he should stop waiting for it to go <span class="pwa-mark decorator">wrong,</span> and enjoy what time he had before that happened.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Shipwrecked Fanzine celebrating Qrow available for free on PDF <a href="https://shipwreckedfanzine.tumblr.com/post/616330902048587776/sharing-ship-wrecked-contributions-zine">here</a>, though the main tumblr <a href="https://shipwreckedfanzine.tumblr.com">here</a> has a lot of cool stuff too!.  </p><p>I can be found on Tumblr here at <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/aerisleis-fics">Aerisleis-fics</a>!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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